December 8, 2011

After having stayed away from this blog for so long, I thought I would dedicate this long delayed post to something sort of epic...well epic for me maybe. The Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette just hit my doorstep (err...actually it arrived almost a week ago) and I am so excited to share it!

Last Thursday morning, I just happened to catch Kandee Johnson's blog post saying that a second edition of Urban Decay's celebrated Naked Palette was to be released that very same day on December 1st. The urge was overwhelming...I immediately logged onto the Urban Decay website... but found nothing about the Naked 2 palette being released, just a teaser for an upcoming product that lead you to a link to Urban Decay's e-mailing list. And what do you know? A few short hours later, I got an e-mail from UD! Here is where UD's genius marketing ploy...ehh i mean strategy... comes into play. They make you pine for the Naked Palette and Naked 2 by making you think them seem so whimsical and intangible...like the unicorns of makeup or something lol. It seriously only took me two seconds to jump on my computer and phone and attempt to log on to UD's website...but the servers were going crazy and I couldn't get in. Finally, after attempt five or six, and after trying to get my husband to illicitly log on to the site from work, I managed to get through! Whew. I was definitely relieved and ecstatic to have gotten that order confirmation and to know that that baby was on its way! Wow, I sound like a nerd.

Now, as I'm sure you all remember, the release of the first one in 2010 caused virtual mayhem. Everyone was clammering to get their hands on one but UD just couldn't produce enough supply for the demand. At that time, the Naked Palette came with a double-ended 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in shades "Whiskey" and "Zero". I had one UD trainer tell me that the old-school factory in Germany that made the pencils just couldn't manufacture the pencils quick enough to fill all the palettes. I, however, was lucky enough to get mine early on at Sephora. Obviously, being my greedy self, I snagged two. LOL. And no, I didn't sell them on e-bay for double the price. Even though I hoard cosmetics, I rarely ever find something that's HG status...something that I know I can rely on like a good friend, will probably never tire of and use consistently. The Naked Palette is one of those one-in-a-million finds. I heart this thing like crazy... I can't tell you enough! The best thing about this palette is the value. And I preach this to everyone and anyone that seems interested in getting this product. It includes 12 FULL size shadows (single UD eyeshadows normally cost about $17), a double-ended 24/7 eyeliner ($18 on its own) and a mini original primer potion! The newer ones come with a Good Karma eyeshadow brush (which retails for around $26). If you were to buy each eyeshadow individually, that would easily add up to $200 plus. So for $44-$48 I would say that that this palette is a pretty good investment, especially considering how often I reach for it. The colors are suited for any look you want to achieve. You can go from barely-there, low-key and demure, to sultry, smokey and bold...all with the help of one little case.From left to right: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep and Gunmetal.

Now onto Naked 2. Honestly, my first reaction was that Naked 1 and Naked 2 are oddly TOO similar. One apparent difference is that Naked 2 has a matte cream and a matte black shade (two AWESOME and very useful colors to include in an eye palette). The second big difference is that Naked 2 leans towards cooler colors, although there are a few warm shades in there (Half Baked for instance, a complete REPEAT color from the first palette!). Naked 2 also comes with a mini Lip Junkie lipgloss, instead of the Urban Decay Primer Potion. While the lipgloss is a nice rosy-nude color, I'd rather have an eye primer to go with my eye palette as they kind of go hand-in-hand. I guess UD is trying to promote their other products since UDPP is already a staple in most makeup lovers' kits. I really like the the brush that came with Naked 2. It's dual-ended, one side to apply color and the other for blending. UD's Good Karma brushes are all vegan so they're synthetic but they are so soft and durable. My purchase also came with a free sample 24/7 glide on eyeliner in ElDorado, a vibrant yellow-gold.

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in ElDorado and Lip Junkie lipgloss in Naked

The quality of the shadows in Naked 2 is just like every other UD shadow, the color pay-off is excellent, they can be applied and blended easily and they stay put for a long time, especially when worn with a primer. Out of all the colors, I think my favorites are Pistol, a metallic taupe-silver, and Snakebite, a brown bronze with gold flecks. However, if I had to choose between Naked 1 and Naked 2, I would have to go with Naked 1 hands down. I like that Naked 1 has warmer, golden shades that complement my tan complexion and brown eyes. Still, I've only used Naked 2 twice since receiving it, so it may very well become a fave once I discover some awesome color combinations! All-in-all, I would say that Naked 1 and Naked 2 are similar enough that if you already own the first, you don't need to run out and buy the new one immediately. Naked 2 swatches (left to right): Foxy, Half Baked, Booty Call, Chopper, Tease, Snakebite, Suspect, Pistol, Verve, YDK, Busted, Blackout (so sorry for the poor swatches. Some of the glitter from another shade transferred on to Blackout, but it's actually a very MATTE and very DEEP black)

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About Me

I'm a self-professed makeup and beauty addict and I aspire to live with utter style...find my musings, day-to-day experiences and any intimation on style that I can offer. Any reviews or products mentioned here are purchased by myself...and I only provide my honest opinion.